


Conversations and coffee

by Pixie_Weasel



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Angst, But I wrote it with Shuake in mind so oh well, Coffee Shops, How Do I Tag, M/M, Ship is more implied than anything, Swearing, does it count as a coffee shop when it's just set in leblanc?, kind of, not really angst but not sure what else to call it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:13:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26361718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pixie_Weasel/pseuds/Pixie_Weasel
Summary: Akechi doesn't know what witchcraft Kurusu pulls that seems to override his common sense, but whatever it is seems to keep dropping him at Leblanc against any form of sanity.
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Persona 5 Protagonist, Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 4
Kudos: 37





	Conversations and coffee

“So, what’s going on with everybody’s favourite detective today?” Akechi had been content just to drift off into his own thoughts, letting himself be distracted by the smell of coffee drifting through the café, but Kurusu was never on to follow along with Akechi’s plans.

“Oh, only the usual rush and business of my schedule. I’m simply taking this quiet moment to relax a little, after all I do find the atmosphere in here quite refreshing.” (He definitely doesn’t keep coming here to see Kurusu,) he’s definitely not quiet because the damn bastard set him another target today and he’s trying not to fall asleep in his coffee after having come out the metaverse. No, not at all. At least he’s a skilled enough liar that his thoughts stay in his own damn head instead of leaking his poison everywhere.

As good a liar as he is though, Kurusu looks thoroughly unimpressed. For somebody with such a flat face, his eyes manage to be frustratingly expressive, even behind his unnecessary glasses. 

“Somethings clearly on your mind. You can talk about it you know.” A smirk quirks the corner of Kurusu’s lips up, he almost can’t help but stare at (how the motion seems to light up the rest of his face) how it casts the boys usually impassive face in such a cocky light when he smirks like that, the bastard. “I’ve been told I’m a good listener.” 

Oh, he wants to laugh. Not because he thinks the offers a platitude, far from it. Akechi knows the leader of the phantom thieves would listen to the life story of anybody who he crossed paths with for seemingly no reason. It wasn’t even the utter irony of the boy who never talked about himself trying to get somebody equally closed up to talk. No, it was the fact that Kurusu had absolutely no idea what he was talking about in this case. There’s no way he could ever talk about this, just talking about what he did today would get him arrested in record time, as well as utterly ruin all his plans for taking down that damn bastard. Not that he wanted to talk to Kurusu. After all, they weren’t friends – Kurusu was somebody he spoke too out of pure necessity, seeing as he was his main suspect for the leader of the phantom thieves. He hates him, he hates him, (he hates that he can’t hate him)-

“Akechi?” He didn’t realise how hard he’d been gripping his cup until pale fingers pried his hands away from it. Looking up, his eyes caught Kurusu’s, and he was suddenly struck with the thought that it shouldn’t be possible for eyes the colour of cold steel to look quite so warm. So alive with everything. It only takes a moment to patch up whatever holes had opened up in his detective prince façade.

“Ah, my apologise! I seem to have got lost in thought once again.” A soft chuckle, fake, so fake, which doesn’t even start to take the edge off the worry blazing in Kurusu’s eyes, “But as for what is troubling my mind, I’m sure that I have no idea what you mean. It is simply the usual stresses that come with the job, I’m afraid.” A slight narrowing of those steel eyes was all it took to tell him that their owner was hardly convinced. Yet, he let the conversation drop, releasing his hands and turning back to the coffee he’d been preparing beforehand. He quickly tried to crush the gratitude rising in his chest towards Kurusu for being willing to let the topic die. He was not grateful towards somebody he was probably going to have to murder later on, he did not want to talk to the pathetic, naïve, insignificant… “Kurusu, if I may ask-” Curse his laps in self-restraint, he doesn’t need this right now god damn it-

“You know, you can call me Akira.” Oh? He must have misheard. There’s no way the leader of the phantom thieves just said that to the detective who he knows is on the phantom thieves’ case like a god damn idiot trying to befriend the enemy. Honestly, he’s almost grateful that he got cut off before he could ask something that might potentially jeopardise his position (is he interested in men for example) even if it’s with one of the most ridiculous sentiments he’s ever heard.

“Oh, well I suppose if that is the case then it only seems fair that I allow you to call me Goro.” Damn his mouth for not agreeing with anything his brain was thinking. What the hell? Kurusu might be more dangerous than he thought if he gets him to lower his guard in such a way. More reason to stop being a god damn fool because if his act drops around the leader of the phantom thieves? Then everything he’s worked for all this time is going to come crashing down, and he refuses for one insignificant piece of attic trash to take everything he’s worked for away from him-

“Well then Goro,” He prays that the heat on his cheeks isn’t a blush, but based off the smirk curving at Kurusu’s lips that’s a fool’s hope. Damn that man, if he says one word he’s going to murder him with a waffle iron. “do you want another coffee?” 

Ah, right. Kurusu works here. He almost forgot based off how much time he spends being (attractive and friendly) a complete and utter pain in the ass as opposed to doing his job as a barista. 

He should most certainly not get another coffee, he’s almost slipped enough today as is due to Kurusu being so (infuriatingly charming) persistent, staying longer is only going to end badly. What he needs to do is stand up and walk out that damn door…

“Why yes, I think I will. The usual, if you could.” If he could smash his head off the table right now without looking suspicious, he would. Or he’d smash Kurusu’s head off the table for making him act like a god damn fool. Staying in this café for longer than he had too knowing how likely he was to slip up was a mistake, though watching Kurusu hum softly while drumming his fingers off the counter top, occasionally flashing him a slight smile while working on his coffee, the blush he could still feel on his face was reminding him just how terrible of a mistake. A terrible mistake that, despite all the regrets flooding in, he would unfortunately probably make again.

Damn it, if he didn’t kill him first Kurusu was going to be the death of him.

With a gentle clink and a horrible, aggravating (rather attractive actually) smirk, Kurusu set the refilled coffee cup down in front of him, before sliding out from across the counter to take the bar stool next to him. 

“Ah, should you really be taking a break while Sakura is out?”

“Boss won’t mind. Besides, I don’t see any other customers here.” Kurusu punctuated that with a wink, and if that idiot winked at him one more time, he was going to give up pretence and toss his coffee in Kurusu’s face (or kiss him and he’s not quite sure which would be worse for his plans). 

At least that damned cat wasn’t here. He can do without the extended presence of something he doesn’t understand and continuously insults him to his face. The little shit was lucky he hadn’t found some excuse to leave it drowning in a fish tank when it had tagged along to the aquarium with him and Kurusu. 

He just about manages to stop himself before he pinches his nose. Well, if he’s going to subject himself to this he may as well try to get some information out of it, rather than just stewing in his own thoughts.

“You live in the attic above here, do you not?”  
“Oh, yeah I do.”  
“I must say, those are rather strange arrangements. Though I suppose sleeping so close to such wonderful coffee must be nice.” If he could actually get some information on this all that would be fantastic. Of course he knows all about the little criminal record that got Kurusu sent here, but that files so redacted it would be more use to him shoved down the back of Shido’s throat choking the man to death.

“Well, it wasn’t exactly a choice.” Kurusu doesn’t say much after that, and as he doesn’t feel like having (confronted his feelings by coming here) dealt with Kurusu’s presence for longer than he needed to going to waste. 

“Oh? And why would that be?” Kurusu let out a sigh, tapping his index finger against the counter.

“I’m sure you already know about my record detective.” Ah yes. He really should remember that Kurusu is (as smart as he is, the only one willing to actually challenge him) somewhat smarter than the rest of his idiot friends.

“Well, I admit I am already aware of your assault.” It was somewhat satisfying to see Kurusu tense up under those words, a part of his brain he’d grown to associate with Loki practically euphoric at seeing the usually unflappable fool shaken by something he’d brought forward. “But I would like to hear the words from your mouth, so to speak.” For one long second, he thinks Kurusu’s going to deflect, which would make finding this information a whole lot less convenient.

“…I was framed.” Ah, there we go. No human being can resist talking about themselves after all. “I was walking home at night when I saw a man harassing a woman. Tried to stop it, he fell over, cracked his head open on the ground and got me sued for assault.” Kurusu brushed his hair out of his eyes before looking over to face Akechi again, fixed smile firmly back in place. It was infuriating to see the idiot bounce back so quickly from something it clearly pained him to think about based of the clipped tone of voice. “Looking back on it, I’d have actually punched his bald face in if I knew I was going to get done for it anyway!” 

…there was no way. It was too much of a cosmic coincidence. How many bald bastards with the power to get an assault claim like that through must there be anyway?

…Only one he knew was in a small town around the time that would have had to be. Shit. The first bits of laughter he managed to cover up with a cough, and he smothered the rest. He really needed to get out of here.

“My condolences, I hope your innocence is proven down the line.” He stood up, trying to ignore the rising hysterics threatening to force their way out his chest. It was probably suspicious as anything to be trying to leave as quick as he was, but it would be even more suspicious to have what he suspected was a breakdown in the middle of a café. “Well, unfortunately I must take my leave now. Hopefully we will meet again soon Kurusu!” He was probably overcompensating with the false cheer, but right now he cared a little more about not destroying his facade than how natural he sounded.

“Wait, your coffee-“ By the time Kurusu says that he’s out the door, cutting off whatever else Kurusu may say as the wood swings shut behind him with nothing more than the soft chime of a bell. The first thing he does is throw himself into the nearest dark alleyway, resting his head against the wall behind and finally letting the laughter at what a cosmic joke his life was turning out to be out.

What were the odds that he’d meet and be investigating – and possibly plotting the murder of – another one of the people Shido had screwed over?

No matter how much he tried to tell himself these circumstances were irrelevant, he couldn’t help when the laughter started coming out choked with tears he’d never let fall.

(And maybe, just maybe, when he finally put that bullet through Shido’s skull, he’d do it with thoughts not only of his mother, but of a boy who would likely be long since dead by the time Akechi reached his revenge.)


End file.
